It's In Our Blood
by Ink and Poison
Summary: All Emily Winston wants is to reconnect with her family after years of being apart. What happens when she finds out her older brother Opie is under the Fed's watch? Will her hometown and SAMCRO welcome her back with open arms? There's only one way to find out. Eventual Juice/OC.
1. Chapter 1: Wake Up Call

**HELLO! This is my first attempt at publishing any of my stories, i mostly scribble down random ideas but they never fully develop into anything readable. I've been a fan of Sons of Anarchy since day one, so why not write a story?**  
**I am excited for Season 6! Already two episodes into the season, and SO much has happened! Can't wait to see more! As we all know, SoA is a violent and graphic show, so there will be foul language and some mature scenes. You are warned. I'm open to any and all feedback! Please let me know what you think of this first chapter! I think i might have written too much, but i wanted it to be as detailed and interesting as possible!**

***This won't be an instant romance; it will lead to a Juice/OC INTEREST, at this point. One step at a time.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my characters, Emily and Kim.**

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**CHAPTER ONE: WAKE UP CALL**

The sound of her cellphone vibrating on the nightstand woke Emily up.  
She quickly grabbed her phone to stop it from dancing across her furniture.  
"What the hell?" She whined.  
She had just finished working a 12 hour shift at the hospital and all she wanted was to sleep until her next shift. Who would be calling her so early?  
She rubbed her eyes and sprawled across her bed, trying to make her body wake up.  
The phone kept vibrating; it was starting to annoy her.  
She flipped the phone open.  
"H-Hello?" she groaned.

"Your damn brother is under custody…AGAIN."  
She could hear the irritation in her mother's voice, like always.  
_Good Morning to you too, mom._  
"What? How do you know? What happened?"  
She shot out of my bed. Getting a phone call saying her brother was back in prison? Yeah. This was a great way to start the morning.  
"The Feds called, said they're under surveillance. They asked if I can pick up Ellie and Kenny."  
"What? Why would-"  
"Because your brother is a criminal who doesn't care about his family! He only thinks about himself and the damn club! Just like your father!"

Emily sighed. She wasn't necessarily is the best mood to have this conversation again for the millionth time. It was always the same bullshit. Ranting about her brother, her father, and the club.  
"So you're going to Charming…think you can handle it by yourself? Or do I have to tag along again?"  
The last time her brother did time in prison, Mary left to Charming to help Donna take care of the kids. Emily helped out for a while until she had to fly back to Washington to continue school.

"No. I don't want you leaving work. I don't want you anywhere near Charming, do you understand me?"  
_Pfft. As if that will happen._  
"I'm buying the first plane ticket back to California. I'll call when I'm in town. I'll see you soon."  
"Emily, don't-" she hung up.  
Mary was going to be furious the second she sees her daughter, but that was the last thing on Emily's mind. Opie was under custody and her mother expected her stay still and not do anything about it? There was no way in hell she was going to sit this one out. The last time she heard from Opie, he was stressed about working at a shitty job, trying his hardest to pay off his debts without the club's help. That was a few weeks ago, and now him and his family are under the Fed's watch? Something was wrong. None of it made sense.

"Damn it, Ope!" She threw her phone on the bed.  
She jumped out of bed and picked a random plain white tshirt and skinny jeans from her drawers, quickly changing into them. She moved to her closet, grabbed a duffel bag and started shoving clothes into it. Some random shirts, jeans, shorts, and a pair of sneakers were thrown into it, she wasn't sure exactly what to pack. Hell, she didn't know for how LONG she was going to be in her hometown. She moved to her drawers, grabbing handfuls of her undergarments and tossing them in her bag. She reached for her laptop sitting on the nightstand and put in its case before placing it in her messenger bag, along with her wallet & ipod.

"Done. KIM! Are you awake?!" She grabbed her phone and quickly threw the comforter over her bed, smoothing it out until it looked not nearly as messy. She walked out of her room and into the small living room. The rich smell of fresh coffee filled the room, instantly relaxing Emily's muscles. She rushed over to the cabinet, grabbed a mug and poured herself a cup. Coffee always made her wake up, it was her addiction.

"You're up early." Kim, her roommate, stated as she exited the bathroom and walked towards her. She brushed her short brown wavy hair with her hands, trying to tame the knots. "That's rare. But I'm glad you like the coffee." she said sarcastically. Emily smiled. Kim always made sure to leave a fresh pot of coffee for Emily before she left for work, occasionally making her breakfast along with it. Being a chef, Kim would make food whenever she wasn't working at the restaurant, and Emily didn't mind at all. "Thank you. I really needed this." She sipped some more of the black coffee. "More than usual? And why is that?" Kim made her way around Emily, also serving herself some of the hot brewed beverage. Emily sighed. She knew she could trust Kim, she was the closest friend she's made since she moved out of her mother's house, but even now, she didn't want her to get involved with the problems the club and her family always held over her head.

"I'm going back to Charming." She took another sip. The hot liquid warmed her throat, warming her body. When she didn't get a quick response, she looked over her shoulder. Kim set her cup down and gave Emily a confused stare. "Charming…your hometown in California? Why so sudden? And for how long?" She felt chills run down her spine. She wasn't sure if it was because of the coffee, or her nerves. She stared into her coffee mug, hesitated on how to answer. Kim blinked, and suddenly felt embarrassed. "I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound nosy. Can't blame me for being worried, right?" she chuckled. She was right. She needed her answers, it was only fair.

"No, you're right." She smiled. Took another gulp of the coffee, finishing whatever was left in her mug. "I got a call from my mom…saying that my brother is in trouble again. Don't know what he did or what the situation is but I'm not going to just sit here and wait for a phone call to get my answers, you know? I have to get down there and see what's going on. It's been long enough that I haven't seen my family..." she trailed off. _Too long._ She sighed.

When she graduated high school, Emily left Mary's house and went to the University of Washington, joining the nursing program. Finding out she was leaving for Seattle, her father Piney asked Sons of Anarchy's Tacoma Charter to keep an eye on her while she lived on her own. At first, Emily disliked the fact that she had babysitters, but after a while, she convinced herself that having a bunch of bikers looking after her wasn't as bad as she thought. She loved seeing the scared looks on her classmate's faces when she was dropped off at school by Happy; it certainly kept the guys who would constantly hit on her at bay. Hanging around the clubhouse brought her pleasant memories of growing up in Charming. SAMCRO was her family, and her mother took it all away from her, but she still felt attached to her hometown thanks to the Tacoma Charter.

Seeing the upset look on Emily's face, Kim grabbed the coffee pot and refilled her mug. "Then you better get going. Call the hospital and ask for some time off, pack your shit and go! I have everything covered with the apartment; rent is no problem for me! I'll look after the rest of your stuff, although I MIGHT be borrowing some of the clothes you leave behind." She smirked. Emily turned and hugged her. She knew Kim wouldn't mind her leaving, she was always supportive and wanted the best for her. "Thank you! I seriously owe you!" Kim laughed. "Okay, okay, calm down and go get your shit done. The sooner you're back with your family, the better." Emily flipped out her phone and dialed the front desk's number as she walked back into her room.

Just a few minutes later, after talking to her advisor, she was granted her temporary leave. Of course they didn't mind. She was one of their hardest working nurses they had, never took any sick or vacation days since the day she started working. Even without their approval, it wouldn't have stopped Emily. All she had been doing the past couple of years was going to school and working, so she had enough money to get by on her own for a while. Once she finished calling her job, she booked the next ticket back to California, which was leaving in 2 hours.

Everything was ready to go, she had packed the basic essentials, bought her plane ticket, and all that was left was to leave for the airport. She stared at her phone, not certain of what to do next. She scrolled down the short contact list until it stopped on a certain name, hesitated on pressing the call button, but she knew that she had to let someone from the club know she was leaving town. She dialed the number.

"What's up, Em?" his voice filled her ear within a matter of seconds. Despite it being early in the morning, he was quick and on alert. Like a Sergeant-at-Arms always should be.  
"Hey Kozik, sorry for the early wake up call, but I need a favor."  
"Anything hun." He yawned. "What's up?"  
"I need a ride to the airport, I would ask Kim but she needs to get to work soon. Think I can hitch a ride?" She reached over for her ankle boots and yanked them on, glancing around her room one last time. She had packed everything she needed, so she grabbed her bags and walked out to the living room, closing her bedroom door behind her.

"Yeah, it's no problem, but…the airport? Where ya headin?" Rustling can be heard at the opposite end of the phone line. He was probably putting on whatever clothes he could find on the floor. "Charming?" he said sarcastically. When Emily didn't respond, Kozik sighed. "Aww shit, Angel. You're heading back."  
"Some shit went down with Opie. I have to go down there and help." Unlike her conversation with Kim, Kozik didn't need much detail to fully understand what was going on. She heard him sigh. "Yeah, alright. I'll be over in 10. You're taking a suitcase? Or…" "Duffel bag. We can just strap it onto the back of your bike. You don't have to bring a car." He laughed. "One step ahead. Smart girl. I'll head on over." She smirked. "Always. See you in a bit, thank you Kozi!" "No problem, Angel." they hung up.

"Was that the cute blonde guy? Or the scary one?" Kim yelled from her room, making her laugh.  
"The blonde! He's taking me to the airport so you won't be late to work!" she shouted back as she walked into the bathroom. She pulled her sandy blonde hair back into a loose bun, and rinsed her face with cold water. She brushed her teeth and put on makeup to make her look a bit more awake, some black eyeliner and mascara. Instead of putting it back on her side of the vanity, she grabbed her makeup traveling bag and, again, only packed what she thought she needed for the trip; her chap stick, a couple of lipsticks, concealer, eyeliner and mascara. Seeing the bag more than half empty, she decided to shove her deodorant, toothbrush and small perfume bottle into the bag along with the rest of the items.

She walked over to the couch after putting her makeup bag into her larger duffel bag and let herself sink into the cushions. An hour ago, she was sound asleep in her comfortable bed, and now? She was heading back to her hometown. It was all a little too much for her mind to wrap around. She must have dozed off, because the roar of a motorcycle engine made her eyes fly open.

"Blondie is here." Kim stated, walking out of her room in her work attire. "This is it, huh?" she smiled sadly. Emily couldn't help but feel selfish for leaving her on her own. This was all so sudden, she hadn't given it second thought. "Yeah, I guess so." They hugged each other, neither of them liked to talk about their feelings, but this was hard on both of them. "Thank you." Kim pulled away and laughed. "C'mon. I want to see Blondie before I have to leave." Emily chuckled, digging into her messenger bag, pulling out a set of car keys. "Take care of my baby? He's going to need a lot of attention." "Of course! I'll be gentle." They laughed. Kim had always loved Emily's 67' Impala, it was her prized possession. She would miss it while she's gone, but her car was in safe hands.

They walked out the door as Kozik jumped off his bike, quickly rushing over to help carry her duffel bag, handing Emily a helmet. "You don't want to know what I'll do to you if I find out she doesn't get to the airport on time OR safely, Blondie." Kim teased. He smirked, securing Emily's bag to the back of his bike with one last pull. "Promise it'll be rough?"  
"Can't you guys wait until after I'm out of town?" she laughed, tugging on the helmet, making sure it was securely on her head.

She turned to Kim and they gave each other one last hug. "Call me whenever you can. Hope everything goes well." "Thanks Kimmy." Kim waved goodbye at Kozik as she walked towards Emily's Impala. "See you later Kozik!" "See ya, doll." he smiled, as he settled himself back onto his bike. Emily quickly hopped onto the back of the bike, moving her messenger bag between her stomach and Kozik's back. She wrapped her arms around his waist as he turned on his bike, the engine roaring to life. He looked back towards her, "Ready?" he asked. She nodded.

Without another word, Kozik sped off down the road, towards the airport.


	2. Chapter 2: Welcome to Charming

**Thank you to everyone who read the first chapter! I thought I had typed a lot for the first chapter, but in the end, I wish it was longer! I'll try to make the following chapters longer. I am sorry it took me more than a week to put up this next chapter, I thought it was going to be easy to upload a chapter weekly, but it takes a lot of time out of my busy schedule. ESPECIALLY because all the good Fall Shows are coming back on TV! I'll try to update as soon as I can, I know how frustrating it is to wait. Thank you for being patient! (And how crazy has the Season 6 episodes been?! No spoilers, but to those who haven't been watching, I suggest you catch up with the episodes ASAP!) Nothing much to say, other than I hope you enjoy this second chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, only Emily.**

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**CHAPTER 2: WELCOME TO CHARMING**

Kozik's motorcycle flew by multiple cars, earning numerous honks along the way. Kozik would just laugh, flip them off and speed down the road. Emily always loved the rumbling of a motorcycle's engine; its constant buzz would always put her in a dreamlike state. Almost lulling her to sleep. She laid her head down on Kozik's back, enjoying the sweet sound of the engine until they pulled into the airport's curbside. She held onto Kozik until he shut off the engine, it's rumbling sound quickly replaced with the blaring noises of the distant planes flying overhead.

Jumping off the bike, she took off her helmet and handed it to Kozik. She ran her fingers through her hair, trying to undo the knots that formed. "You sure you can handle the lone trip?" he asked while yanking off her duffel bag from the bike and handing it to her. "The flight is the least of my problems. Mary is going to be in town, she doesn't want me there." She sighed, pulling the bag over her shoulder, the weight making her take a step back. It was heavier than she had thought. He laughed and shook his head, clearly entertained. "It was nice knowing you, Em. Mary is going to kill you when you roll into town." _Yeah, I know. _" I've been scared of going back because of her, ya know? Since the day we left, she wouldn't stop saying how horrible Charming was, she kept drilling it in my head. Then when Ope went back to live with my dad, it just got worse." She absentmindedly fumbled with her fingers. "I don't want to give in anymore. She can't keep me from the club, or my family…" she trailed off. Kozik bumped his knuckles on her jaw, smiling. "Stop it, don't think about Mary. She might not be supportive, but you'll have Opie and Piney there, and the rest of the club too. Shit,** Happy **will sure as hell be there for you while you're in Charming. Guaranteed."

She couldn't help but laugh, "Thanks Kozi. For the pep-talk and the ride…and everything. I appreciate it." He suddenly lunged at her, wrapping his arms around her and held her tightly. Her face was shoved in his chest, her arms trapped in between their bodies. "You make it sound like we're never going to see eachother again! Stop being such a buzz kill, kid! You're going to see your family! Everything will be fine!" "Stop!" she giggled, playfully punching him in the stomach. He always found a way of making her laugh, it's what she loved about him. He didn't need to comfort her or do any favors for her, but always made time for her.

His phone vibrated in his pocket, he quickly let go of Emily and answered it."Yeah?...alright, I'm on my way." He hung up and sighed. "Duty calls and you have a flight to catch. You can't be late or Kim will rip me a new one." She laughed, but the smile quickly fell from her face, she sighed. "I'll miss you Kozik." They shared one last hug. "I'll be waiting for you here, Em." He kissed the top of her head and pulled away. "Say hi to the guys for me. Have a safe trip." "Love you." "Love you too." She slowly made her way toward the gate leading to the front desk, looking back at Kozik one last time, gave a small wave goodbye. He smiled at her and put his helmet back on before jumping on his bike and speeding off.

She quickly pulled out a jacket from the duffel bag on slipped it on before she headed for the check-in counter. She got her ticket and, after going through security, headed straight to the terminal's waiting room. She took a seat, pulling her messenger bag closer to her and popped on the earphones as she turned on her Ipod. Music filled her ears as she stared at the people walking from terminal to terminal. She always loved people watching, she didn't care if she looked creepy while doing it. She liked to imagine what type of life people had based on how they looked or acted, always having an open mind while doing it. Her phone vibrated and she yanked it out of her pocket, already having a guess of who it might be. _Mary._ She pressed the END button and quickly pushed the POWER OFF button, watching her cellphone's light fade away.

She didn't want to answer her calls, Emily was going to avoid her until the last possible second. Suddenly, everyone around her stood up and walked towards a flight attend who was standing next to the gate entrance. Emily quickly scrambled up and followed the crowd. After getting her ticket checked, she boarded the plane and walked down the aisle, plopping down on her assigned seat. She shoved her bag underneath the seat and buckled her seatbelt, shrugging into the uncomfortable _This is really it. _She thought as she sighed nervously, glancing around the plane as it quickly filled with people. _My nerves will be the death of me._ Just as quick as her morning had begun, the plane took off and soared through the sky.

The flight had been quick, and she had managed to calm her nerves by the time the plane landed. Maybe the tequila she drank during the flight had been a major factor, but she didn't question it. After collecting her duffel bag, she quickly hailed a cab. She didn't want to call anyone from the club to pick her up, definitely didn't want to call **Mary.** She threw in her bags in and stepped into the cab, immediately greeted by the old gray man driving behind the wheel. "Where to, Miss?" He asked as her smiled at her. "Charming, please…" she looked over the front seat, stared at his Taxi License displayed on the dashboard. "Patrick." She smiled back. He chuckled as he steered the cab onto the road. "Small town, huh? Anywhere specific?" She wasn't sure where to go. She didn't know Opie's address, or her father's, and she sure as hell wasn't going to call her mother to ask. "Teller-Morrow Auto Shop." she decided. He gave her a questionable look through the rear view mirror, but didn't ask any more questions.

She stared outside the window and watched as the busy streets soon disappeared into small dirt roads, a sign that she was getting closer to her hometown. "Hey Patrick?" she spoke up, it was a long drive and the silence made it drag on even more. "Yes, Miss?" he chimed, his grey eyes glancing back at her. "I was just wondering, how did you end up as a cab driver? Driving from town to town, meeting different people every day, doesn't it get a bit…" she chewed on her lip, trying to find a fitting word. "Tiring?" he answered as he chuckled. "Yes, sometimes, but I've always loved driving to different places and seeing new sights. I stumble upon rude people most of the time, but it's people like you that make me like being a cab driver, Miss." That caught her off guard. "People like _me? _What do you mean by that?" The old man let out a light chuckle after seeing her confused face. "You're quiet and respectful. You don't seem to cause any trouble, and the fact that I get to make sure you get to your destination safely, well, that makes me happy, Miss." _Sweet man._ She couldn't help but smile. "My name is Emily." "Pretty name for a pretty lady."

They exchanged some more small talk, mostly chatting about his past experiences with people who weren't as nice to him as Emily was. Thinking of how anyone would treat this little old man with any rudeness made her furious. She had always treated everyone with respect and kindness, but that didn't mean she was a weak. Kozik and Happy made sure she was able to stand up for herself, with force if necessary. It was nice knowing this old man wasn't as small and weak as he seemed either; he told Emily he had thrown a good punch or two to some passengers trying to take advantage of him and steal from him. This made her laugh, not being able to imagine this sweet man as the fighting type, but hey, everyone has to stand up for themselves at some point.

Their conversation came to an end as the cab passed by the WELCOME TO CHARMING sign. "We're finally here." "Yeah." _Home Sweet Home._ She stared outside the window as they came into town, passing by all the familiar shops she was used to seeing as a kid, including the small grocery market she would go to with her mom. Lumpy's Gym and Floyd's Barber Shop, everything was the same as she had remembered. _This is it. _"A little anxious, are we? You look like a cat, you're ready to pounce out of the cab." Patrick laughed. "Y-Yeah. Just a little excited, I guess. It's been a long trip." She mumbled. They passed by the small elementary school and this immediately brought a smile to her face. She would get bullied by her classmates for being quiet and keeping to herself, but it would never last too long. Opie and Jax would confront anyone who had given her a rough day. Unfortunately, this prevented Emily from making any good friends in school; the boys were too scared because of her older 'brothers' and the girls would just pretend to be her friends so they can hang around the cute older boys. But she didn't mind. She loved being around Opie and Jax, even though they would usually ride off with their bicycles, leaving Emily behind.

She must have spaced out, thinking about her childhood memories, because she faintly heard Patrick's voice suddenly say something. She turned to him, slightly embarrassed. "Sorry, what was that?" he chuckled as the cab slowed down to a complete stop. "We're here." She could see the TELLER-MORROW AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR sign above the garage where she saw people lazily working on cars. _No backing out now._ She hesitantly stepped out of the cab, dragging her bags along with her and quickly pulled out her wallet. "Thanks for the ride, Patrick." She handed him a bill. "Keep the change." He smiled at her. "Thank you, sweetheart. Take care of yourself, alright?" she nodded and returned the smile. "I will. It was nice meeting you." "It was a pleasure, Emily." She closed the door, sending a small wave as Patrick drove away. She turned and slowly made her way into the lot, trying to spot the first person she recognized. She didn't see any of the motorcycles lined up, which she found rather odd. She headed for the garage, one slow step at a time, a quickly spotted a familiar face.

"Lowell?" the man looked up from the car he was working on, and stared. "Holy shit, Emily, is that you?" he walked over and gave her a hug. "Wow, haven't seen you in ages, what brings you here all of a sudden?" she looked around the garage as she answered, "Thought it was time for a family reunion, ya know?" he laughed. "Yeah, I just saw Mary pass by a couple of hours ago, actually. Talked to Gemma and Jax then stormed off." She sighed, and nodded her head. "Yeah…sounds like my mother." They laughed, she shifted uncomfortably. "So…how have you been? Your son?" Lowell's smile faltered as he looked at the ground. "Y-Yeah, I'm doing good. Moby's been amazing. Great kid. I'm lucky to have him." She smiled. The last time she visited, while the club would be out handling business she would spend most of her time with Lowell. He would rave about every small thing Moby did, he was always so proud of him. Being away from his son when he was having problems with drugs would bring him down. "You're a great dad, Lowell." He looked up with an embarrassed smile. "T-Thanks, Em."

"Have you seen my dad? I don't see anyone's bikes in the lot." He shook his head, looking around the garage. "Haven't seen Piney since this morning. Clay, Tig and Jax left a while ago. Gemma too. Everyone seemed pretty busy today." She nodded and shifted her bags, her shoulder was starting to ache. "Guess I decided to pass by at the wrong time. If it isn't too much to ask, do you think you can give me a ride to the hotel? After your shift, that is." He cocked his head to the side, looking confused. "Wait, you came back to Charming without having a proper place to stay?" "This was an unplanned trip and I don't want to bother anyone. I think it's better this way. Besides, nobody knows I'm back in town yet, besides you of course. Do you mind not mentioning me? " He nodded while scanning the garage. "Yeah, I understand. That'll be no problem. I just need work on one more car, shouldn't take too long." "Thanks Lowell. I'll be hanging around in the office for a bit." With a quick nod, he headed back inside the garage as Emily stepped inside the small, messy office.

_You would think with Gemma being in charge here, everything would be neat and organized._ She threw her bags to the ground and plopped down on the small couch, trying to get comfortable. She sat in the quiet for a while, until she grew restless. Taking out her cellphone from her pocket, she turned it on and as soon as it lit up, she searched for Opie's number. _He better have the same number._ She pressed the CALL button; the line went straight to voice-mail.

"Hey, Ope. It's me. Mary told me what happened, and guess what? I'm in Charming." She sighed, not completely sure of what to say. "Listen, I don't know when you're getting out of Stockton's watch or when you're gonna check your phone but, I'm hoping its soon. I'll be staying at the Ramada. No way in hell I'm going with mom. Just…call me whenever you can. Bye." She hung up, sinking further into the sofa and closed her eyes. So much had happened in one day, she wasn't sure what to do next. None of this was planned out, she didn't think of anything ahead of time. _Am I in over my head? Shit, I don't even-_

Her thoughts were interrupted when the office phone suddenly started to ring. She got off the couch and looked out the window facing inside the garage. Lowell seemed too busy to hear the ringing. She turned back to desk and reached for the phone. "Teller-Morrow Automotive." She stated, not knowing what else to say. "Who the **hell** is this?" the voice of a woman rang with annoyance. _The Queen herself._ Emily couldn't help but smirk. "Hey Gemma, it's me, Emily." "Oh my god. What are you doing at the shop? I didn't know you were in town." She could hear the disappointment in her tone; Gemma was the kind of women who NEEDED to know everything that was going on. Observant and **always** judging. "Yeah, it was a last minute thing." She fumbled with the phone's cord, hesitant on what she was going to say next. "I…um…I-I heard about Ope. I had to come back." She heard Gemma sigh.

"Oh, sweetheart. He's going to be okay. Things have been pretty heavy around here, ATF has been up our ass for the past couple of days. All we have to do is bear through it." _As if we have a choice._ She knew better than to ask why federal agents had Opie in custody; some shit must have happened with the club. She scoffed. "Y-yeah, you're right. I heard Mary passed by and talked to you, did she cause any trouble?" "No, she wanted to know why she had to pick up her grand-kids. She didn't seem to know much about what was going on with Opie, just like the rest of us."

Just then, Emily heard someone tapping on the glass window behind her. She turned and saw Lowell motion for her to start heading out. "Alright. Well, I gotta go. Lowell is going to give me a ride to the hotel. It's been a long day." "Can you tell him to lock the place up for me? I have some things to take care of back at Jax's house, but I'll see you tomorrow?" "Of course, I'll pass by." "Alright, baby. Get some rest." They said their goodbyes and hung up. She grabbed her bags and headed out the door. The sky was darkening fast; she didn't realize how much time had passed. "Gemma called, asked if you can lock up?" she mentioned to Lowell as he was putting all of his tools away. He mumbled a 'yeah' and quickly put everything in its place before locking every door to the garage.

"Ready to head out?" Emily nodded and they walked towards his truck. As soon as they stepped into his vehicle, he turned on the engine, making the truck rumble to life. "Where ya staying?" "The Ramada." He laughed as her pulled out onto the road. "Where else right? Not like this town has too many options for visitors." She turned to him with an eyebrow raised. "So now I'm just a visitor?" He turned to her, then back to the road, and let out a nervous laugh. "N-No. I-I didn't mean it like that. Y-You know this will always be your home." She laughed at how jittery he was. She loved picking on him, he was always so respectful; whenever he thought he offended anybody, he would automatically apologize repeatedly and try to justify his statement.

Her phone started to vibrate in her pocket and she quickly pulled it out, ready to hang up on her mother's incoming call. She was about to press the END button when she read the Caller ID wasn't Mary. "Opie?" her throat felt dry as she answered her phone hastily. "Why the hell are you in Charming?" her brother's rough voice demanded on the other side of the phone line. _Why can't my family ever greet me with a 'hello'?_ "Geez, it's good to hear from you too, big bro." her sarcasm seemed to have affected him, when he spoke again his voice was gentle. "Sorry, it's been a shitty day. Where are you?" "Lowell is giving me a ride to the hotel." "No, head to my house. You're staying with us. I'm out of Stockton, we're heading over now." She sighed, bringing up her hand to rub her eyes tiredly.

"No Ope, I don't want to bother. You guys need time alone. Donna is going to need an explanation after all this shit." "Don't worry about that. You are **not** staying at a damn hotel." "_Go to our house, Emily. If you're not there when we get home, I'm sending Opie to pick you up at the hotel."_ She heard her sister-in-law yell into the phone, she was probably driving the truck while she let Opie take the passenger seat. "There's a spare key under the mat. Let yourself in. We'll be over soon." He hung up. "God damn it." She shut her phone and threw it into her messenger bag.

"Change of plans?" Lowell suddenly asked. For a second, she had forgotten he was driving next to her and heard the conversation. She sighed as she nodded her head. "Yeah. Ope wants me to stay at his house." After checking if there was any cars heading his way, Lowell did a quick U-turn and headed towards the opposite side of town. "Sorry about this." She mumbled, embarrassed that she had Lowell driving her around. "Don't worry about it." He smiled at her as they continued down the road.

Lowell slowed his truck as they pulled up into Opie's drive way. Emily hopped out of the truck and turned back to retrieve her bags. "Thanks, Lowell. Sorry for dragging you around halfway across town." He shook his quickly and gave her a smile. "Stop apologizing. It's okay. Just happy you're back. Want me to wait with you?" This time it was Emily who shook her head. "No, I'll be fine. I've taken up enough of your time as it is. You should head home. Thank you again for the ride." He gave her one last smile as she slammed the door shut. She walked up to Opie's porch and reached for the key that was hidden under the mat. She unlocked the door and kicked it open. She turned back to look at Lowell, who was still waiting in his truck, and waved goodbye to him. She saw him wave back before his truck continued to roll down the street.

She turned on the lights, wincing as they blinded her. As soon as her eyes had adjusted to the bright lights, she threw her bags on the couch and headed straight to the kitchen. She filled a teapot with water, and turned on the stove to let the water boil. She skimmed through all the cabinets, looking for coffee grounds, but was disappointed when all she could find was a box of Chamomile herbal tea. _Fuck it._ She shrugged and grabbed a mug from the cabinet, setting it on the counter, and waited for the water to start boiling.

She grabbed her phone from her bag, scrolled down the contact list, and dialed Kim's number. "Hello~" her voice chimed. Emily couldn't help but laugh. "Hey, Kimmy." "How is everything?" "Pretty good so far. I saw an old friend at the auto-shop my dad and brother work at. Didn't see anybody else though. At least not yet." "Sorry to hear that. So what are you doing now?" Emily walked over to the couch, sat down and laid her head on a cushion. "At my brother's house. I let myself in, and now I'm just waiting on him and my sister-in-law to get home." "Oooh, the anxiety is killing you isn't it?" she chuckled. "Yeah, sorta. I just called to let you know that I'm alright. Have to call Kozik or else he'll be butthurt." She heard Kim laugh, making her smile as she repressed a laugh of her own. "Well, I'll let you go. I have another morning shift tomorrow at the restaurant. Enjoy the rest of your night, and remember that you can call me whenever you want!" "Thanks Kim, you're the best. Good night."

Emily stood up from the couch and headed over the teapot as it started to let out steam. With one hand she grabbed a rag, moved the pot to the counter and dialed Kozik's number with the other. "Hey, Em. What's up?" his voice ringed. "Nothing much. Are you busy?" she heard him sigh, mentally picturing him rubbing his temples and slowly pacing around in a circle. "No, not anymore. Had a lot of things to do today, but got everything done. How's it in Charming?" "Passed by the shop, saw Lowell, got a call from Gemma while I was hanging around the office, and now I'm waiting on Opie to get home." She tried to make it sound like it wasn't a big deal, but her nerves were almost shot dead. She poured hot water into the mug and ripped open the box of herbal tea, dunking a small sealed bag containing the crushed Chamomile leaves into the water.

"So no welcoming party?" he laughed, sounding very tired. "No. Everyone was pretty busy, trying to figure on what was going on with Ope and other club stuff, I guess." "I'm guessing you didn't see your mom?" "No, not yet. The longer I can put her off, the better. But, you sound tired, I'll let you get some rest." She heard him laugh again, a bit more lively this time. "How considerate of you. But yeah….i'm pretty tired. I bet you are too. Get some sleep as soon as you can." "Okay, **dad.**" She teased and heard him groan. "No, don't start." "I'll talk to you later Kozi." "G'night, Kid."

As soon as she hung up the phone, she heard the front door swing open. She looked over and saw Donna's small frame walk in first, followed by Opie. "Emily." Donna stated as she walked over to her and gave her a tight embrace. "Hey, Donna. It's been a while." She let her go and they exchange a small smile. Emily turned to her brother and they locked in a hug without hesitation. "Hey, sis." He kissed the top of her head and continued to hug her, shoving his face into her blonde hair. It had been 10 years since she had last seen him.

When she moved away from Charming, her mother let her spend one summer with her father when she was 16, Opie had turned 20. He had just finished prospecting for the club, earning his SAMCRO patches, so she didn't see him or Jax or the rest of the club as much as she would have liked. After that summer, she didn't have a chance to go back to her hometown and visit anyone from the club, until today.

He let her go and let out a deep sigh. "I've missed you. I'm really glad you're here." "Same here." She smiled up at him and walked back into the kitchen, pulling out an extra mug. "I made some tea, hope you don't mind, Donna." She shook her head tiredly and took a seat at her small table. "Not at all." Emily handed her the mug filled with the herbal tea, earning a smile and a quiet 'thanks' in return. Before Opie had the chance to walk towards the kitchen, Emily beat him to it and quickly took out a beer and handed it to him. He walked over to his wife and took a seat next to her, gently reaching for her hand after she set down the mug.

Emily took a sip of the tea and leaned on the counter, not sure of what she should say to the tired and quiet couple. "Where's Ellie and Kenny?" "With Mary. They're spending the night with her." Opie answered before taking a swig of his cold beer. Emily scoffed. "Poor Kids." "It's just for the night. They'll be here tomorrow. But for tonight, you can take Ellie's bed. It might be a bit uncomfortable but…" Donna trailed off, but Emily quickly shook her head. "N-No Donna, it will fine. Thank you, really, it means a lot." The small women nodded and continued to drink the warm tea.

"I'm happy to see you Em, but you really shouldn't have come down here. You have your own shit to take care of back in Washington." "All I do is work…and its been a long time since I've seen any of you. I've missed you. I couldn't stand the thought of pretending everything was okay while you guys are getting involved with the ATF."

The room went silent and after a few seconds, Emily rolled her eyes and sighed. "Are you going to tell me what's going on or do I really have to ask?" her blue eyes stared at the couple until she heard Donna sigh as she turned to her husband. "I'll leave you to it. Emily, I'll take your bags into Ellie's room and set it up for you." Emily nodded, understanding why her sister-in-law didn't want to hear the details Opie was going to tell her. Donna kissed him on the cheek and flashed Emily a small smile before she grabbed the bags and walked down the hall.

Opie took another chug of his beer before he started speaking. "You know much I hated chipping wood, it was nothing but shit pay. The club needed me and it was the only way I could earn money fast." He looked up to her and she stared back at him, urging him to continue. "It was supposed to be a quick job; in and out, without a problem. Out of nowhere the ATF pick us up at 2:30 in the damn morning and we're heading to Stockton. ATF **bitch** tells me Bobby was arrested after an eyewitness ID'd him as the murderer; they cleared some of our debt…" he didn't need to finish. _Shit._

"They're setting you up as the rat." He nodded and she let out a frustrated sigh. "That's bullshit. The club knows you wouldn't do something like that." He finished the rest of his beer and set the bottle down, bringing his hands up to rub his face tiredly. "Yeah, well, I'm so sure anymore. Stahl has been trying to bust the club and she's willing to do anything to make sure it happens. I have to talk to Clay and the club, let them know what ATF is up to." She nodded her head, staring at the empty mug in front of her and mumbled a quick 'yeah'. She looked up to meet her brother and could see how distraught he was; she hated seeing him like this.

"Does dad know you're here?" he tried changing the subject as he stood up to throw his empty bottle away. She shook her head and cleared her throat before speaking. "No. I haven't seen anyone besides Lowell. Talked to Gemma on the phone, but that's about it. Everyone had shit to take care of." "You'll see them soon enough. How long are planning on staying?" she stayed silent for a few seconds, trying to think of response. "I…I'm not completely sure. Probably until I know you can stay out of trouble." Opie let out a tired laugh and shook his head, looking down at her. "Then get ready for a long stay, sis."

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**I hope you enjoyed this chapter! It is WAY longer than the first chapter, so I hope I it was worth the wait!  
Please let me know what you think and I am always open for criticism, opinions and even ideas! Thank You!**


	3. Chapter 3 : Homecoming

**Hello! Sorry it took this long to update, all my favorite shows are back on and I'm glued to my television at least every other night! Thank you to those of you who continue to read my story, I PROMISE it will get more interesting once the main drama starts. And a big THANK YOU to those who left nice comments and spent time writing reviews for me to read! I love taking into account what you, the readers, like about my story and I love it when I receive advice on how to improve in my writing style. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT! I know I have a lot of things to work on, but as long as people continue to read the story, I will work hard on making it more enjoyable and easier to read! So THANK YOU!**

**Just wanted to say this chapter could be considered as a filler, taking place towards the end of 'Capybara' and right before 'The Sleep of Babies.' And by that, I mean I am going to make up most of what happens during this time. Instead of jumping from one day to the next morning, I've decided to take advantage of the time difference between these two episodes and let Emily's character unravel a bit more. With the fast pace of these episodes, and 'The Sleep of Babies' in particular, I wanted to put in as much detail as possible during this time so Emily could be a bit more interesting for you all to read about. Enjoy~**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

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Emily woke up early to take a quick shower and change before the others woke up. After rushing back into her room, she unzipped her duffel bag and took out her undergarments and pulled them on, followed by a pair of black pants and a plain white tank top. As soon as she applied some light makeup, she yanked on her boots and walked out into the kitchen, heading straight to the refrigerator to pull out some eggs and red bell peppers. She didn't spend much time in the kitchen, but she was a quick learner and having a cook as her roommate? She easily memorized more than a couple of recipes.

"**I'm **supposed to be the one cooking **you** breakfast, Emily." She looked over to the door and watched Donna walk through the front door with a handful of grocery bags. She rushed over and grabbed some of the bags as she closed the door. "It's just something small, nothing too troublesome." She reassured her as they placed the bags on the kitchen table. "I know we might not have much, but whatever you need, anything at all, don't be shy, okay? You're family." "Thank you, Donna. I promise not to be such a hassle." They laughed as they put away the groceries. Donna pulled out a bag of coffee grounds and started to boil water in the teapot Emily used the night before. "Remind me to buy you a coffee maker, it's a necessity." "It would be nice, but we get by with what we have, right?" she nodded as she starting serving the warm breakfast on three different plates. As soon as she placed the food on the table, Donna walked over with two mugs filled with freshly made coffee. Emily took the mug into her hands and took a long sip.

"Guessing Ope is getting ready for the day?" she asked Donna, who decided to sit across from Emily. "Yeah. Said he has to show up at the clubhouse to explain to the guys what happened. What are your plans for today?" Emily took a bite of her eggs and thought of what to answer. "I'm not sure yet. Probably have to see Mary, and I'm hoping on maybe seeing my dad and the guys from the club." "I was wondering if you can come with me to Mary's house and pick up the kids?" _Ugh. Didn't want to go this early but…_ "Yeah, I'll tag along." She smiled at Donna, who most certainly looked relieved. "Thank You. We all know your mother is a bit…rough. I think it'll be less awkward if you're there." Emily scoffed and took another small sip of her coffee. "Yeah, I doubt it, but I'll still go."

Just then Opie walked out from the hallway, pulling on his cut. "Mornin" he mumbled and gave them both a kiss on the cheek. "Emily made breakfast, I'll grab you some coffee." He thanked her as he took a seat beside Emily, digging in to the meal that was waiting for him. She glanced at her brother, waiting for him to finish chewing his food. "This is actually pretty good. When'd you learn how to cook?" she smiled at his approval of her cooking, but quickly nodded her head before she took another bite of her own dish. "My roommate is a chef, she taught me a thing or two." Donna handed him his mug and she joined them as they finished their breakfast.

They heard the rumbling of a motorcycle coming from the street and Opie quickly stood up. "Must be Jax. I gotta go. I'm taking the truck." He handed Donna his dirty plate and mug, leaning in to give her a kiss. He then turned to Emily. "Dad is going to be at the clubhouse. Might not be the best timing but you wanna head over with me?" "No. I promised Donna I'd head over to mom's house and pick up Ellie and Kenny. I can head over afterwards?" he nodded as he walked out the door. Emily walked over to the sink where Donna was washing the dishes. She quickly took her plate and mug. "I got it covered. You made breakfast, I'm in charge of cleaning. You should go say hi to Jax." Emily smiled and thanked her, making her way through the living room and out the door.

She looked up and watched as Opie and Jax exchanged some words. She made her way down the porch steps and let out a huge grin when she saw Jax's confused face when she approached them. "What the hell?" she laughed and lunged at him after Opie stepped to the side, giving him a hug as he returned the tight embrace. "Holy Shit, Em. What are you doing here?" he asked as he let go of her, a smile tugged at his lips. She shrugged. "Wanted to visit my family. It's been too long." He stared at her for a second before nodding his head. He knew the reason why she came back to Charming was for Opie. She had always loved her brother; he was the only one she would every try to make time for and help out. A perfect example was when Opie got locked up for five years, she helped out the only way she could; to console her depressed sister-in-law and help with her niece and nephew.

Jax smiled at her and returned her shrug. "**Too **long. I'll be seeing at the club house later on?" _Later on, right._ They were in a rush to the clubhouse, trying to get Opie's name cleared as soon as possible. She nodded and took a step back, "Yeah, I'll pass by. I promised Donna I'd go with her to pick up the kids. You guys better get going." Jax nodded and gave Opie a quick glance. "C'mon, the club is waiting." Opie mumbled a 'see you later' and padded her back as he walked towards his truck.

Jax placed his hand on her face, bringing her closer and gave her a kiss on the cheek before turning back and heading towards his bike. "I've missed you, Em. Good luck with Mary." He gave her one of his infamous smirks, and she rolled her eyes. "Geez, thanks." She looked over her shoulder and stared at her brother before turning back to Jax. "Hey!" He turned his engine on before looking up at her, strapping on his helmet. She crossed her arms and stared back at his blue eyes, not wanting him to know how uncomfortable she was under his stare. "Take care of Ope. He would never betray the club." He revved his engine and nodded. "Yeah, I know." He sped off with Opie driving close behind him.

Emily kept shifting in the passenger seat as they neared her mother's house. _Just calm down. Why am I getting all worked up? Just calm the FUCK down! _Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard Donna let out a small noise. She quickly looked over to her, sending her a questionable look. She was suppressing a laugh, and as soon as she saw Emily notice her, she couldn't help but let out a chuckle. "I'm sorry, you just look **so** miserable." She squirmed in her seat again. "You can't blame me, right?" Donna nodded and turned the corner into a small street, coming to a complete stop as they parked in front of Mary's house.

"We're just here for the kids, and we'll be on our way out." Donna whispered as they walked towards the front porch. It didn't take long for the front door to fly open, and they were face-to-face with Mary. Her eyes shifted between the two women, giving them a hard stare. "Hey, Mary." Donna quickly spoke up, breaking the silence. Emily's mother stepped back into her house, swinging the door open. "C'mon in." Donna was quick to step inside, Emily hesitantly stepped into the house and turned to face Mary as she shut the door. Emily shifted in place, biting the inside of her lip as she stuffed her hands into her pockets. The three women stood there, the awkward silence made Emily feel even more uneasy. "The kids are down the hall." Mary stated, not bothering to look at her daughter-in-law; she was too busy glaring at her daughter. Donna glanced at Emily before answering. "Y-Yeah, okay. I'll go get them." She darted down the hallway without saying another word.

Emily shifted again. _C'mon. Just say something. _"So…how was your time with the kids?" she said casually, but her mother just scoffed. "I **told** you I didn't want you to come down here. And what do you do? Show up at my house and try to make small talk." She walked across her small living room and sat on the large couch. _Actually, yes, but apparently it's too much to ask for._ She sighed and took a seat on a smaller couch across from her mother. "You can't just tell me my brother is in trouble and expect me not to do anything about it." Mary rolled her eyes and let out a bitter laugh. "Your brother has to pay for his own damn mistakes! You shouldn't get involved with his problems! He's a criminal!" This time it was Emily who rolled her eyed and let out a frustrated sigh. She was tired of her mother's bullshit and she wasn't going to take it anymore. "I'm here to support my brother and his family. **MY** family. You don't like it? Too bad, because I'm back in Charming and you can't do anything about it." The two stubborn women stared each other down, clearly disapproving of what the other said.

"Aunt Emily!" she looked toward the hallway as her niece and nephew ran toward her and gave her hugs. "Ellie! Kenny! Look at you! All grown up!" she smiled at them and hugged them again. It had been almost 4 years since she last saw them, they were small back then, but she was glad they remembered her. "We should probably get going, kids. Say 'Thank You' to your grandma." She heard Donna say as she walked popped out of the hallway with their small bags. They turned to Mary and embraced her next. "Thank you, grandma" they said in union, making her smile. "Take care of yourselves, alright? Don't cause trouble for your parents, okay?" they nod and she gave them both a kiss on the cheek.

Emily quickly stood up as the kids walked towards their mom, who was more than ready to leave. "Thank you, Mary. I really appreciate you looking after them." After getting an approved nod from Mary, Donna opened the front door and led the kids towards their small blue car. Emily quickly followed them, turning back to her mother when she reached the doorframe. "I'm not sorry that I decided to come back. I'll call you later." Before Mary had a chance to respond, Emily shut the door and hurried off toward the car.

After treating Donna, Ellie and Kenny to lunch, Emily had asked if she could be dropped off at Teller-Morrow. Knowing that all the guys were at the clubhouse, it might be the only chance to see them all before they were off doing their usual business. The kids wanted to see their father, so Donna agreed to pass by. They pulled up to the shop and parked next to Opie's truck. Emily's nerves were starting to act up again as she saw all the bikes lined up side by side on the opposite side of the lot. "You should head on in, let Opie know we're here?" Donna asked her before she opened the car door and hoped out. Emily knew Donna wasn't comfortable being around the club, especially not now. "Yeah, I'll tell him." She smiled at the kids before closing the door and walked toward the clubhouse. Every step felt heavy, and she kept readjusting her bag from her shoulder until she arrived at the door. Not realizing she was holding her breath, she exhaled and turned the doorknob.

She hesitantly walked in, the smell of booze and cigarettes smacking her face. She saw Jax walk out of the chapel and looked up to Emily, a smile instantly spread across his face. He turned to the group of men who were too busy getting their drinks to notice her presence. "Hey, Piney! Might want to welcome our visitor!" he nodded towards the group, signaling her to step out into their sight. Everybody stopped what they were doing and looked over towards her direction; curious as to whom the VP was referring to. Emily didn't know what to do, so she just stood there awkwardly, waiting for someone to say something. Anything. She decided to look up, and she caught the stare of a set of bright blue eyes; fairly identical to her own.  
She glanced at everyone for a second, seeing familiar faces and a couple of new ones, but her eyes automatically went back to look at her father. One step at a time, with a confused look on his face, Piney walked toward Emily and finally let out a light chuckle.

"My God. What the hell are you doing here?" Unlike his ex-wife, he let out a big grin as he hugged Emily, clearly pleased to see his daughter. She returned the embrace and couldn't help but feel relieved. "Good to see you, Pops." She smiled at him as he let her go, the grin still plastered on his face. They turned to face the guys as they all shouted and banged on the bar top. "LITTLE EMILY IS HOME!" she heard a Scottish accent shout as the cheers continued. She let out a laugh and turned to Chibs, who was still shouting as he marched towards her with his arms wide open, a beer in one hand, giving her a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

One by one, the guys walked over to her and welcomed her home; everyone except the two latest additions to the club. Juice and Half-Sack stood together at the end of the bar, watching as the rest of the guys cheered and welcomed the young woman. Half-Sack awkwardly turned to Juice. "D-Did I just hear her say Piney is her **father?**" Juice merely shrugged and took another swig from his beer, looking over to the group of men surrounding her. "Yeah." Half-Sack glanced at her and smirked. "Where has she been this whole time? I surely would have remembered a face like that." Juice shook his head in disapproval. "Out of town, I guess..." he walked off toward the pool table, with Kip following

As soon as Emily had greeted everyone, she turned to Opie who had handed her a cold beer. Judging by his cool stature, she assumed everything with the club was resolved. "Hey, Donna is waiting for you outside." His eyes widened and stared back at her. "She's **here**?" Emily nodded and Opie was quick on his feet, moving straight for the door. "It's good to see ya, kid." She looked up to Clay and returned his smile. "I've missed you guys. I know it's been a long time but…" they gray haired man clasped his hand on her shoulder, giving her a gentle squeeze. "Don't worry about it. You're here now. That's all that matters." He gave her another hug before walking out of the clubhouse.

"C'mere, Lass! Ya have ta be my charm!" Chibs called her over to the pool table, where he stood next to the two men she had yet to greet. Piney patted her back and smiled at her. "Go on, have fun." He walked away from her, immediately taking a seat at the bar and finishing the rest of his drink. For as long as she can remember, Piney was never the type of father to show much affection toward his kids, but she didn't mind. She knew that her father loved her and her brother, so she never bothered asking for attention.

She turned to the pool table and the greeted the guys with a smile. Chibs nodded towards the two younger men. "Em, dis 'ere is Juice, our very own computer nerd. And dis is Half-Sack, our Prospect. Boys, I introduce to you the lovely Emily Winston." She gave Chibs a disapproving look and he just laughed. She glanced at them both before shaking their hands. "Nice to meet you both." "Right back at cha." The younger of the two grinned.

She looked over at the man with the head tattoos, raising an eyebrow. "Juice, right? You look familiar…" He stood there, not sure of what to do under her stare. Half-Sack kept glancing between the two. "Aye, Juicey boy 'ere use to be a hang around till we brought 'im in." Chibs spoke as he handed each of them a pool stick. _That's right._ "Yeah…I remember, now. Jax brought you in, right?" "Like a lost puppy!" Jax chimed in as he made his way over to them.

Juice groaned. "C'mon, man…" Jax smirked and playfully punched his arm, making Juice trip over his own feet. He regained his balance before he managed to fall against Half-Sack. "Well, it's nice to know you made it into the club." She smiled at him, and he nervously returned the gesture. "Yeah, thanks, I guess…" he trailed off. She looked at Half-Sack as he racking up the balls on the table, walking over to him. "And I expect the same from **you**." He laughed. "So far, so good." Chibs quickly spoke up. "As far as you know, Prospect!" Kip's laughter died down, making everyone chuckle. _Poor guy. The guys must give him hell._ She decided to change the subject.

"Haven't played in years, Chibs. Not sure if I'll be the best partner." She confessed. He chugged the rest of his beer and shook his head. "No problem, Sweetheart. I bet you're still better than da both of 'em combined." Jax laughed and nodded his head, agreeing. "Don't worry too much, Em. If you're still half as good as you use to be when we were kids, you'll **smoke** them." They shared a grin. "I guess we'll see." She placed the white cue ball on the table, laid the cue stick down and eyed the rest of the balls. "Solids." She stated before making the first shot, sending the multiple colored balls flying across the pool table.

After beating Juice and Half-Sack three times, Emily finally decided to call it a night. She sat on the bench outside of the clubhouse, drinking her last beer while waiting on Opie to finish his round of pool. She stared at bikes lined up, the garage, and all the SAMCRO signs plastered everywhere; nothing had changed since she was little. Now that she thought about it, she didn't know why she was so nervous about coming back. Everyone was welcoming and loving, they were her **family.**

"What's that face for?" she looked up and watched as Jax strolled over to her, taking a seat next to her. _I was making a face?_ She laughed half-heartedly. "You know me, overthinking everything. I just missed this. I've missed **everyone**." She mentally beat herself up for letting her mother take her away from all of it. Jax bumped shoulders with her, giving her a smile. "We've missed you too, Em. We're glad you're here. Good thing you showed up, it lightened up the mood." She glanced at him, instantly frowning. "Why is that? Did things not go well with Opie?" "Nah, everything is good with Ope. It's just everything else that's been going on. Has us all on the edge, ya know?" She knew the drill. Anyone outside of the club didn't need to know their business, no matter how close they were to them. It was safer that way.

She nodded and took another sip of her beer. "How are things for you up north?" He asked, obviously not wanting to talk about the club. "Good, I guess. I hang around with Kozik and the rest of the guys during my spare time, but other than that, I've been working at the hospital." Jax smiled and pulled out cigarette. "You should ditch Oregon and stick around Charming for a while." She gave him a questionable look, making him smirk as he took out a lighter and lit his cigarette. "No way. I can't just **stay** here. What about my job?" "Quit." She scoffed. She sipped some more of her beer. _It's not that easy._ "Yeah? And what? Work at St. Thomas?" She said sarcastically, laughing at the ridiculous idea. "Yeah, why not?" Her laugh died down.

"You can't be serious." "You have your resume, I'm sure Tara can get you working there in no time." _What__**?**_ "Did you just say **Tara**? She's back?" The last time she had visited, she was told that Tara had left to Chicago, leaving Jax heartbroken. Emily would have never thought she'd return to Charming. "Yeah." Jax let out a puff of smoke, flicking the ash off his cigarette. "Things are better between us now." She raised an eyebrow. "Better?" He laughed. Of course she wanted to know what was going on. She had a lot of catching up to do. "Yeah, **better**. She's actually helping out with Abel too. He should be coming home any day now." When he said his son's name, his eyes lit up with joy. He loved his little boy. Emily couldn't help but smile. "I can't wait to meet the little man."

Just then, the door to the clubhouse swung open as Piney walked out, half empty bottle of tequila in his hand. "Thought you had left already." He mumbled as he walked over to her, clasping a hand on her shoulder. "Just waiting on Ope. I'm staying at his place." He took another swig from the bottle before handing it to Jax. "Well, I'm heading out. I'll catch you later." He stumbled off towards his motorcycle. "You think you can handle riding, old man?" Jax called out, holding the bottle up. Piney never answered; he sped down the lot and out into the street.

"He's a better rider when he's drunk." They turned to Opie as he walked out the club house, followed by the rest of the club. "Hope you're right." Emily said as she stood up, chugging the rest of her beer. "Ready?" Opie nodded, faced the guys as he gave them all a hug, one by one. "See you later, Jax." He jumped off the bench, giving her a hug. "Let me know about St. Thomas." He smiled at her before walking over to the guys. "Welcome home, Doll." Tig walked over to her and kissed her temple before heading towards a group of crow eaters at the end of the lot. _Looks like they're gonna have a busy night._

"It was nice meeting you, Emily. Hope to see you around." She turned to the Half-Sack, who had a smug smile on his face. "Yeah, nice meeting you too, Prospect. Practice some more and I might play another round of pool." She half turned around and looked at Juice. "Same goes for you." She smirked. "After getting my ass kicked, don't think I'll want to play." He replied, giving her a light shrug. "Well, that's too bad." She laughed. "Have a good night, Darlin'." Chibs walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her, giving her a tight squeeze before letting her go.

"Alright, let's go." She followed Opie towards the truck. "Bye, guys." She waved at them before hopping into the truck. "Long Day." Opie stated as he turned the key, making the truck rumble. "Yeah." She looked out the window as he reversed the car and passed by the club. Emily waved goodbye at them one last time before they made their way out of Teller-Morrow.


End file.
